Stella’s Story

A Lifelong Virginian & Greek Roots

My passion for education and its promise of lifelong opportunity began while I was growing up. The oldest daughter in a Greek-American working class immigrant family, I spent my early years between Greece and Virginia, but ultimately found my home here. I would spend my Saturdays sitting in my mother’s Greek language class at our church and then would promptly go home and conduct my own class with my younger siblings as students. My parents helped me understand from an early age that a strong education would open doors and opportunities for me as an adult. As a student whose first language was not English, I entered school in the U.S. at the end of second grade. I was forced to navigate the world of two cultures and languages, as so many of our neighbors do today.

After high school graduation, I pursued a degree in Government & Politics at George Mason University and completed it within 3 years. During this time, I worked and sought out scholarships to pay for my schooling. These early experiences sparked my passion for fighting for my community and working families like mine. 

A Teacher and Small Business Owner

I began substitute teaching in Fairfax County Public Schools during college. While substitute teaching, I earned a Masters of Ed. in Multicultural & Multilingual Education and certification as an ESOL teacher. I began teaching full time for FCPS. My husband and I chose Centreville to be our home in 2001 because of its wonderful schools and we are now raising our six incredible children here. Together, we co-founded and operated a local air charter company.

A Leader on the School Board and Beyond

While I took a break from the full-time classroom to raise my children and start our air charter business, I never took a break from helping children and families. I began serving as your Sully District representative on the Fairfax County School Board in 2020, where I guided our post Covid return to in-person learning, increased access and resources to Advanced Academics for all, led a national superintendent search, and fought to ensure every single student in FCPS had the support they needed to achieve at their highest potential. Additionally, I led the regional lawsuit against Glenn Youngkin’s attempt to steal our local control of our schools. 

Previously, I have served as HOA President, President of several PTAs in the Sully District and Fairfax County regional PTA Board, taught adult ESOL classes, and worked with underserved youth through Cornerstones. In 2018, I was proud to be one of the parent leader advocates of More Recess for Virginians who successfully lobbied our state legislators to change the law that prohibited localities from providing developmentally appropriate recess for our children. I have also served as a board member for American Youth Philharmonic Orchestras, BRAWS (Bringing Resources to Aid Women’s Shelters), NAACP Education Committee, Fairfax County Schools Student Health Advisory Committee, and Sully District appointee on the Fairfax County Public Library Board of Trustees.